Law & Justice
ED Provisional Attachment of Four Patnitop Hotels Valued at Rs 10.66 Crore
By Arun Sharma
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Monday that it had provisionally attached four hotels in Patnitop, a hill resort in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The attached properties, which include the hotel buildings and the land they occupy, are valued at nearly Rs 10.66 crore. Earlier in 2025, the ED had issued two provisional attachment orders in the same case, attaching properties worth about Rs 30.72 crore.
The ED’s investigation was triggered by an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) Anti‑Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Jammu. The FIR targeted owners and directors of hotels, guest houses, resorts, cottages and residential properties in Patnitop, as well as officials of the Patnitop Development Authority (PDA). The allegations involve the commercial use of residential buildings, construction beyond approved limits, and operation of commercial establishments in prohibited areas such as dense forest, agricultural and residential zones. The investigation also uncovered alleged lapses by PDA officials in ensuring compliance with prescribed rules and regulations.
In 2023, the CBI filed six chargesheets against eight hotel owners associated with six hotels and several PDA officials under various provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, the Ranbir Penal Code, the Registration of Tourist Trade Act, and the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Act. The ED investigation found that one hotel, despite having sanctioned building permission, had raised unauthorized construction measuring 7,552.74 square feet beyond the approved building plan. The hotels were reportedly being operated commercially without the requisite permissions.
Consequently, the hotel buildings, unauthorized constructions, appurtenant land and identified properties equivalent in value to the proceeds generated through such unauthorized commercial exploitation have been provisionally attached as proceeds of crime under the PMLA. Further investigation is underway.
Frequently asked questions
Which properties were provisionally attached by the ED in Patnitop?
The ED provisionally attached four hotels, including their buildings and the land they occupy, valued at nearly Rs 10.66 crore.
What triggered the ED investigation into the Patnitop hotels?
The investigation was triggered by an FIR registered by the CBI's Anti‑Corruption Bureau in Jammu against hotel owners, directors, and PDA officials.
What unauthorized construction was discovered during the investigation?
The ED found that one hotel had raised unauthorized construction measuring 7,552.74 square feet beyond the approved building plan.